Charitable Donations

Care Packages
We provide weekly care packages to patients unable to afford their medicine. To qualify for the care package program, you need to bring in proof of your financial situation, such as a copy of your SSI letter or some other official documentation of your current income level.

Alameda County Food Drive
Harborside has been recognized by the Alameda County Food Drive for collecting more donated food than any other business in Alameda County. The food drive is a wonderful way to demonstrate our concern for those members of our community who are most in need. We encourage our patients to participate in the annual holiday food drive by awarding prizes for those patients who bring in the largest quantities of food. In 2009, Harborside patients collected 1,772 pounds of food. In 2010, we collected 5,322 pounds. In 2011, we collected 8,834 pounds of food. We hope to break our record once again this 2014 holiday season!

American Red Cross
Harborside was the very first dispensary to host a blood collection day by the American Red Cross, and we invite the Red Cross to our facilities several times per year. When patients donate blood, we not only show our desire to bring benefits to our community; we also demonstrate that the blood of medical cannabis patients is certified as healthy by the Red Cross. Check the website for upcoming blood-drive dates.

One Warm Coat Drive
Every winter, Harborside participates in the One Warm Coat coat drive. Our patients are encouraged to participate with a raffle for all patients who donate coats, and a special prize for the patient who donates the most coats.

ASAAmericans for Safe Access is the nation's premier patient advocacy organization, devoted to defending safe access and the rights of medical cannabis patients. In recognition of large monthly donations we have made since our opening, ASA named Harborside one of its Platinum donors. Patients interested in becoming more active in defense of their rights should contact ASA and we encourage our patients who are able to do so, to contribute to ASA.

SSDP
Harborside also makes regular donations to Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. SSDP has several hundred chapters in universities nationwide, where it is the leading voice of reason in the debate about cannabis. In addition to their very effective advocacy, they are also training the next generation of cannabis activists. Harborside is lucky to have numerous SSDP alumni on its staff, and strongly encourages all students to join the organization.

We Choose to Not Use the Term "Medical Marijuana"

While you may have heard medical cannabis referred to as medical marijuana, at
Harborside we do not use that term. William Randolph Hearst utilized
the word marijuana, as did his political allies, to promote harmful stereotypes
about both the Mexican and Black populations. Smokers of marijuana were frequently
caricatured as crazed and violent black men or lazy, thieving Mexicans.

We use the term medical cannabis rather than medical marijuana because we choose
not to associate the positive healing properties of cannabis with the negative,
racist undertones of the word marijuana. To use that term would passively support
the wrong and hurtful notions of Hearst and his allies, whereas we believe
that cannabis is medicine, and is meant for people of all colors and walks of
life.